Voltage-regulator system



June 10 1924. 1,497,402

C. A. BODDIE VOLTAGE REGULATOR SYSTEM Filed Jan. 8, 1919 WITNESSES I I OR Q C/aremeflBodd/a )4 a 911%- ATTORNEY V Patented June 10,1924,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

cnanmcn BODDIE, OI PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ABSIGNOB' '10 HOUSE ELECTRIC AND IANUIAOTURING COHYANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

VOLTAGE-REGULATOR SYSTEM.

Application tiled January 8, 1919. Serial No. 870,112.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Cnannnon A. Bonmn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the count of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, ave invented a new and useful Improvement in Voltage- Regulator Systems, of which the following 1sa specification.

My mvention relates to voltage-regulator systems and particularly to anti-hunting means for stabilizing the operation of regulator systems.

- One object of my invention is to provide a regulator system of the above-indicated character thatshall be provided with double means for producing forces of difierent magnitude to prevent so-called hunting action by the regulator and shall be joined to a 1 supply circuit in such manner that a failure of the regulator will in no way throw the supply circuit out. of service.

In many supply circuits which are provided with automatic voltage regulators, and, especially if the regulators are of the vibratory type, failure of the regulators, vfrom any cause, generally roduces a breakdown of the supply circults controlled by the regulators. 1

It is a very desirable feature, in supply systems, to parallel the exciter generators, which are connected to the main enerators, by a storage battery so that a fai ure of the exciter generators will not cause a breakdown of the supply circuit. However, it' is practically imposs1ble to satisfactorily utilize a regulator of the vibratory type in connection with a supply circuit that is safeguarded by a storage battery.

It has been proposed to utilize a regulator of the automatic rheostat type for overning the supply-circuit voltage in -or er that the supply circuit may be safe-guarded by a storage battery and be rotected from a breakdown in case of fai ure of the regulator. However, some trouble is experienced in using this t pe of regulator by reason of the ronounce tendency for such regulators to unt.

In a supply circuit provided with a re ulator system constructed in accordance wlth my invention, a regulator of the automatic rheostat type is provided. with double means that shall operate in a manner to insure the re ulator against hunting action.

ore specifically, my invention embodies a regulator having a control ma et that is connected in series with an ad ustable resistor across the supply circuit which is to be regulated, a plurality of contact members, which are operated by the control magnet, and a second electromagnet that is connected, in series with a rheostat, across the supply circuit for opposin the action of the control magnet at pr etermined times to prevent hunting action by the regulator. The contact members selectively control the direction of rotation of a motor that governs the rheostat in the circuit of the second magnet for controlling its operation, and a second rheostat that counteracts any change in the supply-circuit voltage. The second rheostat controls the excitation of the generator which is connected to the supply circuit. Moreover, the contact members control the operation of the resistor included in the circuit of the control magnet in a manner to oppose the initial operation of the main magnet to also prevent hunting action by the regulator.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a diagrammatic view of a system constructed in accordance with my invention, and Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the apparatus which controls the main contacts of the regulator.

Referring to the drawing, a generator 1, embodyinga rotor-3 and a field winding 2,

- is connected to a supply circuit comprising and a field winding 14, is ada ted to be rotated, either in a counter-cloc wise or in a clockwise direction, by means of a regulator 15 in accordance with the voltage'obtaining on the supply circuit comprising the conductors 4, 5 and 6.'

The regulator 15 comprises a control electromagnet 16, which is operated in accord,

' resistor 21 embodying sections 21a, 21b and 210, across the supply conductors 4 and 6, and. a core armature 22, which is pivotally connected to a contact arm 23. The speed of operation of the magnet 16 is adjusted by means of a dash pct 24, which is directly connected to the core armature 22. The second eletromagnet 17 embodies a winding 25,-

which is connected, through a resistor 26 and a rheostat 27 across the supply conductors 4 and 6, and a core armature 28, which is ivotally connected to a contact arm 29 an is counter-balanced by means of the sprin 30. The speed of operation of the second magnet 17 may be controlled by means of a dash pct 31. The rheostat 27, which is included in the energizing circuit of the second magnet, is operated by the motor 11 and is connected thereto in any suitable manner, such as by means of a lienble connection 32 and the armature shaft 12. The contact arm 23, which is controlled by the control magnet 16, is pivotally mounted on the bifurcated end portion of the contact arm 29 and is provided with two contact members 33 and 34 which are adapted to respectively engage, the stationary contact members 35 and 36, according to the operative position of the control electromagnet. The contact arm 29 is pivotally mounted at a point 37 and is adapted to oppose the action of the control magnet 16 on the contact arm 23 at predetermined times under the influence of the second electromagnet 17. The switch 18 embodies a winding 39, which is connected across an auxiliary supply circuit comprising conductors 40 and 41 by engagement of. the contact members 33 and 35, two switch members 42 and 43, which connect the motor 11 across the sup- "ply conductors 40 and 41 for effecting rota- "tion in a counter-clockwise direction, and an interlock switch 44 which serves to shortcircuit the portion 21 of the resistor 21 when the switch 18 is in an operative position 7 I L The switch 19 embodies a winding 45, which is connected across the supply conductors 40 and 41 by means of engagement of the contact members 34 and 36, two switch members 46 and 47, which connect the motor 11 across the sup 1y conductors 40 and 41 in a manner to ei zct rotation thereof in a clockwise direction, and an interlock switch 48 which normally short-circuits the resistor section 216 but which is adapted to open this short-circuit when the switch 19 is in an op- V erative position.

Assuming the voltage on the supply circuit, comprising conductors 4, 5 and 6, to be increased above normal value, then the control electromagnet 16, which is connected across the supply conductors 4 and 6, is operated in a manner to effect engagement of the contact members 34 and 36. Simultaneously, the second magnet is operated to lower the bifurcated end portion of the arm 29 in the same direction as the arm 23. Upon engagement of the contact members 34 and 36, a circuit is completed through the winding 45 of the switch 19 for operating the switch 19 to efiect rotation ofthe motor 11 in a clockwise direction. Thereupon, the

rheostat 10, which is included in the circuit of the exciter generator 7, is operated in a manner to reduce the excitation of the generator 1 and, accordingly, reduce the voltage of the supply circuit.

L-r'owever, before the voltage of the supply circuit is reduced tonormal value, the resistor section 216 is inserted in the circuit of the control magnet 16 b means of the opening of the interlock switch 48, and the rheostat 27, which is included in the circuit of the auxiliary magnet 17, is operated in a mannerto also decrease the excitation of the second magnet 17. The inserting of the resistance 21b in the circuit of the magnet 16 will instantaneously cause that magnet to function in a manner to effect separation of the main contact members 34 and 36, thus releasing the switch 19 to prevent further operation of the motor 11 and the rheostat 10 and, consequently, to prevent further change in the su Ely-circuit voltage. In this case, there wil e no hunting action for. the reason that the magnet 16 has operated to de-energize the switch a. sufficient time prior to the obtaining of normal supply-circuit voltage to permit the lnertia of the moving parts of the regulator to complete such correction. Should the voltage correction needed be small, and such correction is accomplished, there will be no further operation of the regulator.

On the other hand, should the increase in voltage be large, in the above operation the motor 11 will not have moved the rheostat 10 sufiiciently to correct the supply-circuit voltage,'with the result that the switch 19 will again be operated to cause the motor 11 to move the rheostat 10 to further correct the supply-circuit voltage. The successive energization and de-energization of the switch 19 will be continued until the supply;

circuit voltage has reached its normal value. It will be noted that, simultaneously with .the corrective movements of the rheostat 10,

7 effect this change in settin is to change paragrap the location of the bifurcat end of lever 29 carrying the pivot for the contact-member-carrying arm 23. Thus, while the supply-circuit voltage is above normal value,

the ivot for the arm 23 is held in proximity to t e contact member 36, but, as the supply-circuit voltage approaches normal value, the pivotis moved step by ste progressively nearer its normal centre position, with the result that, by the time the supplycircuit voltage has returned to normal value, the arms 23 and 29 are in their normal sitions of rest, and the regulator has Kr notioned without hunting action.

In the event of the need of an exceptionally large voltage correction, the insertion of the. resistance 21?) may not be sufficient to affect the setting of the relay 16 to an extent to cause the contact members 34 and 36 to function in the vibratory manner just described. Accordingly, the motor 11 will have a continuous operation, and the rheostats 10 and 27 will function continuously until such time as the magnet 16 re-- sponds to the setting with the resistance 21?; in circuit. From that time forward, the regulator will function in the vibratory manner 'ust described in the preceding ii. Thus, there is provided a regulator which will have either a continuous o erati on or a vibratory o ration or a combination of the two in e ecting the desired voltage correction, from which is eliminated hunting action by reason of the fact that the magnets controlling the contact means of the regulator are supplied with relatively and individually differing energizing forces. Summarized, in the above operation it will be noted that overtravel or hunting action by the regulator is controlled by a pluralit of means, which respectively operate on the control magnet 16 and the second magnet17. The resistor 21 is varied in a manner to cause one of the magnets to have a vibratory control of the contact means, and the rheostat 27'is varied in a manner to operate the other magnet in an intermittent manner. a

In case the supply-circuit voltage is reduced below normal value, the control magnet 16 is operated in a manner to effect engagement between the contact members 33 and 35. Upon engagement of the contact members 33 and 35, the switch 18 is operated to effect rotation of the motor 11 in a counter-clockwise direction. Thereupon, the rheostat 10 is operated in a manner to increase the excitation of the generator 1 and, consequently, to increasethe voltage of the supiply circuit comprising conductors 4, 5 an However, before the voltage of the supply circuit is increased to normal value, the interlock switch 44 is operated to short-circuit the resistor section 21a and efiect a consequent increase in the excitation ofthe main control magnet 16. Moreover, the rheostat 27 is operated by the motor 11 in a manner to also increase the excitation of the second et 17. The increase in the excitation of t e magnets 16 and 17 eflects a separation of the contact members 35 and 33 to release the switch 18 and prevent further operation of the motor 11 and the rheostat 10. The. various operating methods described above in connection with correction for an increase in voltage will be'efiected in the manner there described except, of course,

in inverse relation, to correct for the decrease in suppl -circuit voltage.

From the a ove description, it will be noted that, in a system constructed in accordance with my invention, the hunting action of the re ulator is opposed by two means, namely, t e second electromagnet 17, which is controlled by the rheostat 27, and the variable resistor 21, which is operated in amanner to oppose the initial operation of the main control magnet. The two above mentioned forces, which oppose the initial 0 ration of the control magnet, serve to e ect a differential operation of the regulator.

Modifications in the system and in the arran ement and location of parts may be ma e within the spirit and scope of my invention, and such modifications are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

I claim as m invention:

1. In a regulator, a control magnet, a plurality of contact members operated by said magnet, switching means controlled by said contact members, and a plurality of restoring means controlled by said switching means for opposing the action of thecontrol magnet to prevent hunting action by the regulator, one of said restoring means being a power-operated rheostat.

2. In a regulator, a control magnet, a plurality of contact members operated by said magnet, switching means controlled by said contact members, and means controlled by said switching meansand producing two restoring forces of difl'erent values for opposing the initial operation of the control magnet to prevent hunting action by the regulator, one of said restoring means being a power-operated rheostat.

3. In a regulator for a supply circuit, the combination with means comprising an electromagnet and a second electromagn t tor governing the voltage of the supply ciriao cuit, and resistors respectively in circuit with said magnets, of means for controlling said resistors to prevent hunting action by the re ulator.

4. 1e combination with a supply circuit and a regulator comprising a control electromagnet and a second electromagnet for controlling the 'supp'l -circuit voltage, of a rheostat in the circuit of the second magnet, an adjustable resistor in the circuit of the control electromagnet, and means for controlling said resistor and said rheostat to prevent hunting action by the regulator.

5. The combination'with a' supply circuit, and a regulator comprising two co-operating electromagnets for maintaining the voltage of the supply circuit substantially constant, of means severally operating on said electromagnets for preventing hunting action by the regulator.

6. In a volta e regulator for a supply circuit, a controf electromagnet operated in accordance with the supply-circuit voltage, a second electromagnet connected across the supply circuit, a plurality of contact mem: bers governed by said electromagnets, and

means controlled by said contact members for severally operating on said magnets to prevent huntin action by the regulator.

7. The combination with a supply circuit, a generator connected to the supply circuit, and "an exciter therefor, of a regulator comprising a control magnet for controlling the excitation of said generator, and two restoring means associated with said magnet and adapted to oppose the initial operation thereof .to prevent hunting action by the regulator, one of said restoring means being a power-operated rheostat.

8. In a regulator for a supply circuit, a control magnet operated in accordance with the supply-circuit voltage, a plurality of contact members operated by the control magnet, a second magnet controlled by said contact members for opposing the Initial operation of the control magnet, and aux iliarv means also controlled by the'contact members for varying the energizing circuit of the control magnet to oppose the initial operation thereof.

9. In a regulator, a control magnet, a

plurality of contact members operated by.

said magnet," a second magnet controlled by the contact members for opposing the action of the control magnet at predetermined times, a resistor in the energizing circuit of said control magnet, and means also controlled by the contact members for varying said resistor to prevent hunting action by the regulator.

'10. In a regulator system, a control electromagnet having a variable resistor in the circuit thereof, a plurality of contact members controlled bv said electromagnet, and

' means controlled by said contact memliers of contact members operated by sai magnet in accordance with the volta e obtaining on the supply circuit, a seconf connected across the supply circuit, a resistor in the circuit of each of said electromagnets, and means controlled by said contact members for varying said resistors at predetermined times to prevent hunting action by the regulator.

12. In a regulator system for a supply circuit, a plurality of electromagnets oper ated in accordance with the voltage obtaining on the supply circuit, a plurality of contact members operated by said e1ectro magnets, means controlled by said contact members for operating one of said ma nets in a manner to oppose the action 0 the other -of said magnets at predetermined times, a resistor included in the circuit of one of said electromagnets, and means controlled by the contact membersfor varying said resistor. n v

13. In a regulator system for a supply circuit, the combination with a generator, a control electromagnet, an adjustable resistor in circuit therewith, a\second electromagnet, a plurality of contact members governed by said electromagnets, means comprising a motor and a rheostat iconnected thereto'for governing the excitation of said generator,

' and means governedby the contact members members for controlling said resistor to prevent hunting action by the regulator.

14. In a regulator system, the combination with a supply circuit, a main generator connected to the supply circuit, an exciting generator. connected to said main generator a rheostat inserted in the exciting circuit of said generator, and a motor for 0 rating said rheostat, of a regulator comprising an electromagnet and a second electromagnet for governing the operation of said motor to maintain a substantially constant supplycircuit voltage, and an auxiliary rheostat 1n the circuit of said second magnet andaalso operated by said motor for controlling said second magnet to prevent hunting action by the regulator.

15. The combination with a supply circuit, a generator connected to the supply circuit, an exciter system connected to said generator, and a rheostat inserted in the exciter system for governingthe excitation of the generator, of a regulator for governing the operation of said rheostat to maintain the voltage on the supply circuit substanelectromagnet tially constant, said regulator comprisinga control magnet having a variable resistor in circuit therewith and operated in accordance with the supply-circuit voltage, a second electromagnet having avariable resistor in circuit therewith, a plurality of contact members operated by the control magnet, and means operated by said contact members for varying said resistors at difl'erent rates.-

16. In a voltage regulator for a supply circuit, a control electromagnet operated in accordance with the supply-circuit volt a second electromagnet connected across t e supply circuit, and means comprising a rheostat in circuit with one of said electromagnets and a resistor in circuit with the other of said electroma ets for automatically varying the energization of said electro magnets to prevent hunting action by the regulator.

17. In a regulator, a control electromagnet, an adjustable resistor in circuit therewith, contact means controlled by said electromagnet, a second electromagnet, a rheostat in the energizing circuit thereof, and means governed by said contact means for selectively controlling said resistor and said rheostat to prevent hunting action by the regulator.

18. In a regulator system for a supply cir cuit, a generator, a control electromagnet, a

second electromagnet, a plurality of contact members governed by said electromagnets,

, means com rising a motor and a rheostat connected t ereto for governing the excitation of said. generator, means governed by the said contact members for controlling said operation of the motor, and a second rheostat also controlled by the motor for governing said operation ofthe second electromagnet.

19. In a regulator, a control electromagnet, an adjustable resistor in circuit therewith, a pluralit of contact members controlled by said e ectromagnet, a second electromagnet, a rheostat in the energizing cir cuit thereof, and means governed by said contact members for selectively controllin said resistor and said rheostat whereby said regulator will have either a vibratory corrective operation or a continuous corrective operation or a combination of the two operations.

20. In a regulator, a control electroma net, a sectional resistor in circuit therewiti, switches respectively controlling shunt circuits for the sections of said resistor, a second electromagnet, a rheostat in the energizing circuit thereof, and contact means controlled by said electroma ets, said contact means selectively contro ling said resistor and said rheostat whereby said regulator will have a vibratory corrective operation or a continuous corrective operation or a combination of the two operations.

21. In a regulator, a control electromag net, a second electromanet, a plurality of contact members controlled by said electromagnets, and means controlle by said contact members for selectively ener izing said electroma nitudes w ereby said regulator will have a vibratory corrective operation or a continuous corrective o ration or a combination of the two operations, free from hunting action.

22. In a regulator, a control electrom net, a variable resistor in circuit therewith, a second electromagnet, a variable resistor in circuit therewith a plurality of contact members controlled b said electromagnets, and means governed y said contact members for energizing said electromagnets with forces of relatively different magnitudes to prevent hunting action.

23. In a regulator, a control magnet, a second electromagnet, contact means controlled thereby, means for energizing said electromagnets, and means for varying the energization of said electromagnets through 10 ets with forces of 'di erent mag relatively different magnitudes to prevent huntin action.

24. n a regulator, a control magnet, a second electromagnet, contact means controlled thereby, and means in addition to the quantity to be regulated for varying the energization of said electromagnets through relativelydifierent magnitudes, the energization of one of said magnets being of varying magnitude,to prevent hunting action.

25. In a regulator system for maintainingthe voltage for a supply circuit substan tially constant, the combination with a generator to be controlled having an exciter system connected thereto, and means for varying the excitation of said generator, of a regulator for controlling said means comprising a plurality of electromagnets, each having a resistor in circuit therewith, contact members controlled by said electromagnets, and means controlled by said contact members for varying the respective values of said resistors at different rates whereby one of said magnets will have a vibratory action in controlling said contact members and the other of said magnets will have an I '5 magnets will have an intermittent adjustvalue's'of said resistors at different rates f; ment in the control of said contact mem whereby said system will operate free from 10 bers to prevent hunting action by the reguhunting action.

later. v In testimony whereof, I have hereunto I 27 In a regulator system, the combination subscribed my name this 20th day of Dec.,

with a plurality of electromagnets, each hav- 1918. ing a resistor in circuit therewith, of means for automatically varying the respective CLARENCE A. BODDIE. 

